30 Days NoGluten/Sugar Challenge

Day 18

Was it yesterday that I said that the cravings are gone? Oh boy, I did experience some cravings again. We are inviting family so there is chips, cheesecake, etc. in the house. A wave of desire to get that sweet dopamine hit washes over me when I see these kind of foods laying around in my house, but at the end, the choice to indulge or not is always mine.

I had some 'tomatte-crevettes' (a French dish, tomato filled with little shrimps) from the butcher section of a supermarket (freshly made, traiteur style). It was a proper meal (with salad and potatoes). I looked at the ingredients and it did contain, amongst others, 'wheat flower', 'dextrose' and 'whisky'. It also contained a little bit of a sweet sauce I'd normally avoid. But hey, like I said earlier, being a perfectionist is counterproductive ("What?! They used some wheat flour in this shrimp dish? Well, looks like I failed the challenge! I better stuff my face with that bag of chips laying in the cookie shelf so I can start this challenge again after binging for a few weeks."... get behind me Satan!).

 

Day 19-21

Just checking, I'm still on the wagon. Nothing special to mention. Energy is kind of stable but it can always improve. I do feel a bit more agressive/confident which may be because of the increased testosterone because of quitting sugar/gluten (that in combination with NoFap).

I went to do some groceries, normally there would be this strong attraction towards the cookie isle but this time it was actually absent.

I did check the cookie isle to look at the package of a cookie box I sometimes bought (some Jaffa cakes). It wasn't unusual that sometimes I would buy a wole pack of these cookies and eat it all in the same day. I checked the label: in total the whole package of cookies contains around 150 grams of added sugar. I was truly shocked... That I didn't realize that I was eating so much sugar.

This really feels like an 'unplug from the Matrix' on its own... since sugar is everywhere and it's so easily consumed.

I bought a lot of cans of chickpeas, beans and lentils... Tonight I will eat salmon, broccoli and sweet potato - a classic.

 

Day 22-24

So... today I had my last exam so I'm glad that that is behind my back. I think this was the first exam period where I didn't eat bread etc. (normally I would eat more gluten/sugar products as a way to "motivate"/make studying less dull). I will have some more exams in August/September but that's all'right.

Cravings are gone I guess. I don't feel that sense of discomfort anymore when I pass the pastery section of a shop for example. Now it's just a matter of sustaining this. I'm quite motivated though. My skin is glowing more. My jawline is sharper.

@MindfulWarrior Good mentality man. I like your honesty. Don't let a little slip-up make you derail completely! You made a lot of progress the past three weeks. What is only a little slip-up on the grand scale of thngs? The fact that you can jump back on the horse immediately shows the mentality that is necessary for a living SugarFree... a of people keep falling after they indulge again thus never being able to break the cycle (power of addiction), like myself but this thread will maybe change that.

 

Day 25

I went to a restaurant with my family and we had like a 6 course menu.

It was in a gastronomical restaurant so all the food was of good quality. I was strict in the sense that I didn't eat the bread they give you at the side. The foie gras (duck liver) was served with toast of dark raisin bread, I gave these slices away (maybe a bit too strict but I know that this would trigger my black and white thinking). So yeah when I go to a restaurant, I won't be a perfectionist maniac about the sauces etc. but I do think I will get out off my way to avoid bread (and other wheat products) when eating out.

The last course... "Chocolate cake or a cheese plate?" The cheese plate is a typical French thing, a plate with some slices of different types of cheese. Although dairy is something I normally avoid, I didn't see the issue of having some cheese here (I did respectfully decline the bread they offered with the cheese though).

So yeah... normally going on a restaurant would always be a circumstance where I'd fall off the wagon (a reason why I never made a substnatial effort to quit sugar/gluten), so I see this as a victory.

 

@MindfulWarrior

Talking openly about this is brave. Consciousness is the prelude for effective action. Maybe this was a 'rock bottom' moment where you realize you don't want to go back to that lifestyle.

What you say resonates. I'm also approaching this as an addiction instead of just seeing it as a way of diet/low carb/paleo/keto/weight loss/counting calories/etc. I think it helps as I'm well aware that the addiction part of my brain would be triggered from the moment I'd indulge.

You already made tremendous progress, so I think it will be a bit easier than last time.

Day 28

I feel good. Energy is vast and stable. I feel mentally sharp. I still have trouble getting out of bed though. I get comments from my parents that I look sharper. The flab around my neck is indeed slowly disappearing. It's also 7 months since I quit booze. That also has made me lose fat and generally made me look better. But I was still eating unhealthy for the last months, so quitting sugar for almost a month now has definitely taken the edge off.

 

Day 29

Yesterday I went to a restaurant. Didn't touch the bread that was served on the side. Didn't drink beer/soda, just sparkling water. As a starter, I had 2 'croquettes with grey shrimps', a typical dish from my country. It's actually a deep-fried and breaded snack (so it contains gluten) but it's rather a delicacy. I'm not going to search for petty reasons to give myself a hard time, it didn't open the door for a binge, which is more important than being 100 % gluten free... When I'm in a restaurant I won't be as perfectionistic as usual, but like I said earlier, I do avoid bread and pasta (and deserts of course). As a main dish I had a steak with baked potatoes.

Today I fasted until 15h20 (did some hill sprints on an empty stomach in the afternoon). Had salmon, advocado, bananas, grapes and a few peca nuts. As dinner, cod, quinoa, grilled onions and a tomato.

Sparkling water is godsent.

I did notice some whiteheads on my face today, maybe because of the croquettes (which contain gluten and dairy), but because of improved skin health thanks to this this diet, they dry up very fast and the healing process is improved. I also started using grapeseed oil on my face, so maybe the whiteheads are a consequence of that (although I actually use it to improve skin health). Anyway, a good reminder that it's better to avoid gluten/dairy. I also experienced the same thing when I ate that cheese plate last week.

 

Day 30

Looks like I finishd the challenge. I don't really see the point in 'celebrating' this with ordering Pizza Hut tomorrow or something. Or buying my favorite Milka cookies. I'm an addict. If I fall back into old habits again and within a few years look back and say "well luckily I was on a SugarFree June back in 2021!"... then what would have been the point of all this?

I will extend it with another 30 days, to make it easier for the brain to encompass (instead of saying 'never sugar again!', way too abstract...). I will keep logging my findings and difficulties here.

Today I had 2 Greek meat balls from a Greek market, I actually asked the girl if there is 'bread inside the meatballs', she didn't know. But yeah, let's not overcomplicate this stuff. It's not that I have celiac disease so some breadcrumbs in a meatball isn't the end of the world. Eating half a loaf of bread in one sitting like I used to however, is more of an issue for my body.

 

Much appreciated @MindfulWarrior

Also thanks for the accountability throughout the month, it really helped.

I hope to hear more from you in the future. My first attempt here in the challenge was in March, but relpased in April. Only in June I took the pledge again... so there's always light in every situation.

Day 31

I also want to add that quitting sugar/gluten helps quitting PMO. I barely had urges in in the last month despite the fact that I had exams (so stress, sitting behind a desk alone a lot, etc.). I mentioned earlier that my PMO lapses were almost always in the situation where I had a sugar crash and was 'rotting' in bed.

I'm now snacking a lot on vegetables that I'm dipping in hummus. It fills me up and it allows me to eat a lot of carrots, selery, paprika etc. It's very tasty.

 

Day 35

Just a quick update. I'm still on the wagon.

Today I fasted until 5 pm. I had a bowl of buckwheat porridge with almond butter, a banana and cinnamon. I just ate 200 g of smoked salmon slices. I also had a meat ball I bought at the butcher when I bought my steak. It did contain grain, but I don't think these small amounts hurt, I just have to be careful that it doesn't open the door for more cravings (I did crave more meatballs after eating one, luckily I only bought one). Although it did remind me a bit of how I normally feel after eating bread, that little dip, but maybe I'm just overthinking this stuff.

A few days ago I had paprika/bell pepper filled with rice and ground beef from the Greek market. Perfectionist thinking hit me a bit when I was eating this "What if they use wheat flour to bind the filling?" or "Am I not eating too much white rice here?". These thoughts don't serve me. They only trigger a relapse because they reflect this unrealistic ideal which is very hard to achieve.

I am eating a lot actually, but the quality of food is good. I'm snacking on a lot of vegetbales with hummus and it fills me up. I'm also working out more.

Tonight I will eat a steak with a sweet potato.

 

Day 36

Ate some banana's with organic almond butter (tastes like heaven).

Also ate carrots and tomatoes with hummus. Made a juice in the morning of red beets, carrots and tomatoes before running.

In the evening I went to a Balkan/Macedonian snack bar and had a goulash with white rice. It was served with a little salad with dressing (which may contain sugar). I declined the bread they offered with it.

 

Day 40

I must say that it's a tremendous LUXURY to not be dependent on sugar anymore. I guess I'm still an addict (like I'm addicted to porn), but eating junk doesn't interest me anymore at all. The habits of eating clean are now ingrained. Now it's just a matter of sustaining it. I feel and look pretty good.

I do have troubles getting out of my bed in the morning. Maybe it's because of caffeine. I don't drink coffee anymore but a drink called 'yerba mate'. It's a South-American tea-like hot drink that is very healthy and contains a lot of antioxidants and minerals. It does give me energy without the crash/stress that coffee consumption entails. I don't want to ditch it but maybe I have to limit it through 1L a day (I drink this in the traditional way, through the wooden cup that is filled with the 'yerba' using a metal straw, refilling it with a thermos that is 1L). Or I can buy a caffeine poor brand. Maybe my body doesn't react wel to caffeine either.

Today I went to the gym. I had buckwheat porridge, eggs, chicken (not well-done though) with quinoa. Also had 2 meat balls, which is cool because I lifted. I'm also eating some spoons straight from the almond butter jar, I have to monitor this more.

 

Day 44

Still on it and I don't see myself going back. I have no interest in eating bread and the like (although prudence is due: it can be the same as porn, at one point you think you graduated from that stuff, but before you know it you relapse and binge).

I ate a lot of fruit today. I ordered organic almond butter and I eat it with fruit... tastes like heaven (although I must not go crazy on this stuff). Had roasted chicken with spinach and grean beens. As an afternoon snack carrots with hummus.

 

Day 46

Nothing special to mention. I feel very good overall.

Had some Greek meatballs today, I ate with an avocado.

Also had a Greek bell pepper filled with rice and meat.

I see this as a 'cheat meal' although there is nothing inherently wrong with these meals (they may contain a small amount of gluten). I did hill sprints so I guess I deserved it.

 

I see that my last post here dates from July the 16th.

What happened?

Long story short:

I had re-sit exams and a deadline for a paper which gave me a lot of stress. I fell back into the habit of indulging into comfort food (as a way to 'motivate' myself to study). I know it's not a justification... perfectionist black-and-white thinking, that's what it is ("Come on SC, you're studying the whole day. Give yourself a break and don't be so strict on your food. You can get back on the wagon in the future."). I'm not going into the foods that I ate. Let's say it's the food I actually tried to steer clear from through this challenge.

I also had relapses in terms of other vices: smoking, PMO, etc. I drank endless amounts of coffee and I took a nootropic regularly to enhance my concentration...

I think the NoSugar/Gluten streak I had here was 50+ days. It felt awesome. Although I must say I don't feel too bad now. But I have to get back on track ASAP.

Hence, tomorrow will be day 1 again. I got McDonald's tonight, let's see this as a 'last supper'...

Tomorrow will be very very hard. But I know what to expect. I will go to the grocery store and stack up fruits, veggies and carbonated water.

It's time to heal again.

 

Day 1

I'm now eating a tomato soup with chicken I just made.

Didn't really have cravings, but I guess they will come in vengeance in a few days. I remember from last time that the withdrawal was the most intense on day 4.

When I went to the grocery shop and I passed the cookie isle, I did experience some cravings and I thought "Maybe I have to start tomorrow instead of today.". But I thought about the post of yesterday. The best moment to start is now.

Today I ate blueberries, salmon, peca nuts. I'm drinking a lot of yerba mate tea which suppresses cravings.

 

Day 3

I was completely depleted from energy today. I guess my body is going through some sort of shock since I was, besides sugar/gluten, consuming coffee and smoking cigarettes everyday until sunday.

I also went for a run yesterday which was a while ago so that also explains why I feel so tired.

I had tons of cravings. I ate a couple of peaches and bananas as a way to suppress them. Yesterday I cooked some white potatoes and ate them with chilli powder in order to fill me up, this worked pretty well.

Today I had some tsatsiki (Greek yoghurt with cucumber and garlic) which was very nice. I'm not going to go wild on dairy in this challenge either, but I won't make a big deal out of it as this is actually a pretty healthy meal. I'm not going to write down everything I ate today and yesterday.

Good to have you back on @MindfulWarrior. This challenge is very hard. But that makes it rewarding. Good luck.

 

Day 4

Did hill sprints. Had a salad afterwards.

Went to a restaurant. Had some mussels, chicken kibbeling (a Dutch dish) and salmon. I did eat french fries with this. Normally I would avoid french fries on this diet, but I'm not going to make a big deal out of this.

 

Day 6

Cheers for the recommendation @MindfulWarrior. I will try this out. The french fries of this restaurant also were fresh and still had their skin. They were fried though. It didn't entail a further slip up.

Yesterday I did a lot of bicycling and walking. I had a fish soup, anjovis, peca nuts, chicken for dinner, etc.

Last night I couldn't sleep and was very hungry (probably from the exercise). I had a banana and some nuts. There was also a severe craving for some comfort food, but I just drank a lot of water instead.

I didn't eat much today. Some fruit and made some eggs in the afternoon. I think that if I wasn't on this challenge I normally would have gone out and buy a pizza or something.

Withdrawal isn't as intense as last time but there is still that discomfort when I see bread/cookies laying around in the kitchen.

 

Day 7

Unlike last time, there is no sense of bewilderment anymore concerning quitting sugar/gluten. Maybe the worse has yet to come but besides a craving/headache here and there, the struggle isn't that bad.

I had some eggs with advocado. I also ate a raw tomato and carrots to fill me up in the noon (better than bread).

I went to a Thai restaurant with my parents and had some Thai dishes with white rice. I guess white rice isn't "Paleo" but I don't mind. I even think it's a good thing not to be 100 % strict all the time, especially in the beginning in order to avoid a big shock to the system, what's important is that you don't slip back afterwards. I also had a small spring roll as a starter (they gave it spontaneaously). This has gluten but seeing this as 'breaking the streak' is unproductive. I went for a walk afterwards because I ate a bit too much. I didn't eat the cookies they servd with my tea though.